Agenda - Council - 03/11/1980 - Laserfiche WebLink

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OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER 612/296-2701 March 3, 1980 STATE OF MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE CENTENNIAL OFFICE BUILDING ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA 55155 GENERAL INFORMATION 612/296-6117 Mr. Lloyd G. Schnelle City Administrator City of Ramsey 15153 Nowthen Boulevard N.W. Anoka, MN 55303 Dear Mr. Schnelle: Thank you for your recent letter and a copy of the Resolution passed by the Ramsey City Council regarding Anoka State Hospital. We are very appreciative of your interest and concern. As you may know, a great deal of work has been done during the past several weeks to identify and solve the problems at Anoka State Hospital. A Community Liaison Committee was appointed in January to meet regularly with the Anoka hospital staff and Depart- ment of Public Welfare representatives. Copies of the minutes from those meetings and other relevant information is included for your review. The five specific concerns listed in the City of Ramsey Resolution have been cited by other groups and individuals as crucial issues to be explored and this is currently underway. Here is a brief status report: A plan will be submitted to the Liaison Committee Tuesday that would consolidate all programs for potentially dangerous patients in one building. It appears that funding can be obtained to make necessary changes in the physical facility to provide adequate containment. It is not intended that this be a "maximum security" program - these patients are sent to the Minnesota Security Hospital at St. Peter. To convert Anoka into a maximum security facility would mean that it would be a "magnet" to attract this kind of patient from all over the state. We think this would be contrary to the wishes of the Anoka community. Consideration has been given to placing a fence around the entire perimeter of the hospital but this does not seem AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER ~pW. B28